Just diagnosed with a life long battle with Cancer

Hi All,

My name is Michelle, I am starting this fundraiser for my Best friend of 28 years and husband for 25 years. He has been suffering in pain for 5 years, unknowingly having a mass in his Pancreas. He has suffered for 15+ years with large kidney stones sending him to the ER at least twice a year. All the while working a very physically demanding job 5 days a week, serving God faithfully, and attending congregation meetings twice a week. He has always been the full time supporter while I raised our 2 boys. Now that they are grown, I have gotten a job outside of the home with benefits. This all began Feb 2023. I begged him to go to his Dr and explain his pain. His Dr, Dr Gose in Hiram Ga, reviewed his past CT’s from kidney stones and seen a blur on his pancreas. He was sent for further imaging which revealed a larger mass and several cysts in the pancreas. No Dr had ever asked about it since it was an “incidental finding”. We were sent to City of Hope, formerly Cancer treatment Center of Atlanta. We met with an oncologist, surgical oncologist and GI dept. He has had 3 biopsies, colonoscopy, PET scan, two pain management procedures, countless MRI’s, CT’s and blood work. His oncology surgeon diagnosed him with MEN 1 syndrome, NF PNET cancer, verified with genetic testing. I’ll explain, Non Functioning Pancreatic Neuro Endocrine Tumor Cancer. This is very rare and usually not diagnosed until after death. His father passed away 5 years ago from an endoscopy that punctured his esophagus while looking for his unexplained pain, at the age of 65. He will get tumors in his endocrine system for the rest of his life. He is having surgery May 2, 2024 to have all of his parathyroids removed, they have tumors, which have been causing his kidney stones. He will then be instantly hypocalcemic, which is another boat load of trouble. He will then be out of work for one to two weeks. July 18, 2024 he will have surgery to remove his entire pancreas, gall bladder, spleen, the top portion of his stomach, and two lymph nodes, he will be in the hospital for two weeks if all goes well, three if there are any complications. Healing from that will take at least 4 months, he will not be able to do much physical work during this time. He will instantly be a diabetic 3c, he will not have insulin, glucagon, or digestive enzymes. More medications and health complications. I will only be able to be his caretaker for 2 weeks. I want to be his full time caretaker but realize I am going to have to rely on family and congregation members for help. I will still

need to work for some income and keeping our insurance going. My monthly income covers our car, gas, and some utilities. His covers our Mortgage, loan, remaining utilities, groceries for a family of 3, and food for our cats and dogs. We have applied to disability but have been denied due to him still being at work, even though these surgeries are scheduled. We have been told to apply again in May when he is not working and to not expect any monies IF approved for 6 months. My mind goes to getting a second job but I need all my time to be with him while I have him. This disease is lifetime, his oncology surgeon has done the research and the next organ for this to go to is his liver. He will have to have imaging done every 3 months to monitor the progression. Once it happens he will have 7-8 years, according to research. We live a healthy lifestyle and have changed our eating habits to ones he will need after his surgery, hopefully making an easier transition. My faith is we will have him longer but this situation has taught me to don’t think ‘it won’t happen to me.’ Asking, pleading, begging is hard to do. For him I will do anything, ask anything, plead anything, beg anything. We have been asked by the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville to come down there for treatments but that is even more expensive. We all want the best but we can only do what we can. If by reading this it gives you insight into your health, knowledge of a rare disease, faith to keep going in your own struggles, or moves you to donate, we are grateful for whatever we receive, especially prayers!

Thank you for listening !